Broadchurch delivers a shock to fans as its revealed Jim Atwood is Trish Winterman’s secret lover

DI Hardy and Detective Sergeant Miller thought they had found their rapist on Monday's episode

By Jill Robinson, Showbiz Reporter

20th March 2017,10:41 pm

Updated: 21st March 2017,12:54 am

BROADCHURCH fans had one piece of the puzzle solved on Monday night after it was revealed Jim Atwood was Trish Winterman’s secret lover.

The rape victim – played by Julie Hesmondhalgh – had previously refused to tell DI Alec Hardy (David Tennant) and Detective Sergeant Ellie Miller (Olivia Colman) who she had had sex with on the morning before she was raped.

But during Monday’s episode, her mystery lover was revealed after DNA matched her best friend Cath’s husband to her.

Thinking they had found their rapist, the detectives headed round to question Jim, who then admitted the affair, insisting he didn’t need to attack Trish as he could have consensual sex with her if he wanted, and did.

Viewers were shocked at the news of Trish’s betrayal towards her best friend, with one writing on Twitter: “Once again, if Trish had came clean about having sex with Cathy’s husband then he’d never have been wrongly accused.”

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The news also pleased many fans who had suspected Jim was the mystery man, with one writing: “I was spot on with the Saturday sex guy! had to be dirty Jim!” while another wrote: “Boom! I knew it was Jim who Trish slept with on the morning of Cath’s party!”

The revelation also lead to a new theory among some viewers as to who the culprit of Trish’s harrowing attack was.